Charlie J Gelso - Guide to Maryland trout fishing : the catch-and-release streams

REVISED AND UPDATED

GUIDE TO

MARYLAND
TROUT
FISHING

THIRD EDITION

THE CATCH-AND-RELEASE STREAMS

CHARLIE GELSO & LARRY COBURN

Copyright 2014 by Charles Gelso, Larry Coburn, and Headwater Books, LLC

Published by

Headwater Books
PO Box 202
Boiling Springs, PA 17007
www.headwaterbooks.com

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
All inquiries should be addressed to Headwater Books, PO Box 202, Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania 17007.

Printed in United States of America

Third edition
ISBN: 978-1-934753-29-3

Cover and interior Steven Plummer / SPdesign

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014938169

third edition

This edition of the Guide, like its predecessors, is mostly about streams and rivers in Maryland that have catch-and-release regulations. Several of these waters have strict catch-and-release policies, whereas others have delayed harvest regulations. The streams that we write about (with one exception, see Chapter 3) have one or more sections that are under such special regulations, and our focus is on those parts rather than on the entire stream. Not surprisingly, these are the premiere trout waters in the state of Maryland. They are the waters with the best habitat, and they support substantial trout populations. Most contain wild (streambred) trout, or at least trout that will hold over, surviving the warm Maryland summers.

It has been several years since the second edition of the Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing was published. We decided to write a third edition because some significant changes had occurred in Maryland trout fishing in recent years. It seemed important to capture those changes, and that is what we have sought to do in this third edition. Each existing chapter has been revised and updated, including both the narrative and the maps. And you will notice two new chapters, one on the catch-and-release section of the Patuxent River tailwater below Brighton Dam and the other on the parts of Catoctin Creek that are now under delayed harvest regulations. We met with Jay Sheppard and Nick Weber of the Potomac-Patuxent Chapter of Trout Unlimited to get their insights about the Patuxent River tailwater below Brighton Dam, and we want to thank them for their very helpful comments, as well as their enormous efforts on behalf of the fishery.

Looking back over the decade and a half since our first edition, it seems to us that Maryland trout fishing has come into its own. New catch-and-release sections and delayed harvest sections have been opened, streams have been improved, and tailwaters have been further developed. Although there has been controversy around the wisdom of tailwaters, it is undeniable that some rivers have been brought or returned to life because of wise water release policies from reservoir dams. To those who complain that tailwaters are not truly wild, we simply point to rivers like the Savage, the Gunpowder, and the North Branch of the Potomac as examples of rivers that have been wonderfully affected by such water release policies, and have all the feel of wild rivers. The Patuxent River tailwater, we hope, will join the ranks of those excellent fisheries as dam repair is done and water release policies are enhanced.

As with the two prior editions, our aim in the book is to provide a clear picture of each stream and to aid the angler in his or her fishing efforts on that water. For the 16 streams and rivers presented in the book, we offer a description; discuss the characteristics of the trout that inhabit it and how to fish for those trout; note the tackle and equipment that are appropriate; describe insect hatches and other stream life; point to some of the problems facing the stream; and tell you how to get there. A big part of getting you there is a good map, and we have sought to create the very best maps possible. In presenting this information, one of our main goals has been to offer useful and interesting information, without getting the reader lost in too many details. You, the reader, will of course be the ultimate judge of the extent to which we have succeeded.

Although the book is oriented toward fly fishing, we aimed to make it useful to spin fishers as well. Most of the streams we describe permit both spin fishing and fly fishing. Stream descriptions, discussions of stocking policies and trout in each river, as well as the maps and driving directions will be every bit as pertinent to spin fishers as fly anglers.

You will note that the book is divided into the central Maryland streams and the rivers of western Maryland. The angler who is new to Maryland trout fishing may wonder what happened to the eastern region. Simply stated, there are no premiere catch-and-release streams in eastern Maryland. The prime trout waters are from the central part of the state westward.

A thread that has permeated this edition, as well as the earlier ones, pertains to the improvements that have taken place during recent years in Maryland trout fishing. Our state obviously does not have the great natural resources of many nearby and far away states. However, we believe that Maryland has made great use of the resources that it does have, to the point that some fisheries that would be considered blue ribbon by any yardstick have been developed. These successes have been due to the wise and tireless efforts of many individuals and groups, for example, individual chapters of Trout Unlimited. In some cases, individuals have gone well beyond the call of duty in improving particular streams, and we mention such individual efforts in our stream chapters. We also believe that Maryland has one of the most enlightened Departments of Natural Resources anywhere, and in many ways this book is a tribute to the work of our DNR. As we have observed the scene, Bob Bachman was a major force and impetus to stream improvement and cold water management in the state a couple of decades ago. He provided wise and creative leadership to coldwater fisheries during his tenure with the DNR, and he set the stage for things to come. He has been followed by several able leaders over the years.

Charlie Gougeon, now Chief of Inland Fisheries of the DNR, has had a huge effect on Maryland streams and trout fishing. The DNRs Central and Western Regional Managers, Mark Staley and Alan Klotz (and Ken Pavol before Alan) and their staffs, have made major contributions to Maryland trout fishing over a number of years.

There are many people to whom we owe a debt of gratitude in our work on this book. Jay Sheppard has been our fly fishing mentor over nearly four decades, and his influence appears throughout the pages of all three editions of this book. Jay, a biologist by training, is the most knowledgeable fly angler we know; and he has been more than willing to respond to our questions over the course of many seasons. DNRs Charlie Gougeon has offered extremely helpful input for each edition on the Central Region streams. Former DNR Western Regional Manager, Ken Pavol, contributed equally helpful input on the Western region for the first addition, and Alan Klotz, the current western regional manager, has done likewise for the second and third editions. People such as John Mullican, Mark Toms, Doug Hutzell, Frank Ryan, Rob Gilford, Dick Sluss, and Don Hershfeld have offered great insights into particular streams. We have called upon DNR biologist John Mullican many times when trying to better understand the nuances of various Maryland streams, and in this updated edition he and DNR biologist Mark Toms provided us with invaluable information about the new special regulation sections of Catoctin Creek. And Susan Rivers, DNR specialist in entomology, has given us enlightening insect information on every time we have sought her out. All of these individuals have provided time and great information, and if they felt imposed upon, they thankfully never showed it!